Modernizing Open Source Quality Management: Qatrack+, Now Multilingual, Needs Contributors
Abstract
Purpose
Localization and modernization of existing open source tools important to the medical physics community are important contributions to keeping care costs low and quality high. QATrack+ is a modern, open source, Quality Management System enabling users to quickly and confidently maintain their suite of QA results, QC tests, and service events. This software system is used to satisfy regulatory requirements for multiple sites worldwide. Traditionally an English focused development, QATrack+ now includes translations in Spanish and French.
Methods
QATrack+ is a locally deployed web application based on the Django web framework and Python. Recent upgrades to Django have been included in the QATrack+ base enabling multi-language support. Spanish and Canadian French are the first additions to the code, with optionally AI assisted workflows publicly available to support clinics adding their own languages. A review of the code base was completed to ensure compliance with modern best practices, while simplifying the installation method and the underpinning software stack. Update workflow has been tested with clinical data to ensure compatibility
Results
Providing user level translations for French and Spanish reduces the barrier to entry for clinics that have multilingual staff. Continually maintaining the code base of open source projects to align with current best practices allows non-medical physics programmers to assist in development and deployment. This work has placed QATrack+ in a strong position for years to come.
Conclusion
This QMS is used by dozens of facilities in over a dozen countries. The additional languages allow the tool to meet more facilities needs, and additional language contributions are encouraged. QATrack+ is in a strong position for supporting the needs of clinics in the short term. Maintaining open-source projects require work, this project needs more contributors to remain sustainable.